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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0633.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 26, 1931 THE SOPWITH "PUP-: A DESCENDANT OF THE •TABLOID. THE 'PUP" SINGLE-SEATER WAS USED LARGELY. AND DID GOOD WORK AGAINST ALBATROS AND HALBERSTADT MACHINES. behind in a position which was thought to be safe, withconsiderable effect. Sir Ian Hamilton, in his book about the Russo-Japanese war, noted that the Russians wereusing balloons, and added that, judging from British experience in South Africa, the Russians would now getsome highly inaccurate information. Why the balloon had won this reputation does not appear. It certainly oughtto have been able to see, even if it found difficulties in 'ending down prompt reports. In the years 1903 to 1908 the art of flying aeroplaneswas discovered in the three countries of America, France and Great Britain. It is not quite fair to say that ourWar Office treated them with a suspicion inherited from the days of the balloon. Actually it gave every possible assistance to Col. Cody in producing his machine. Theearly aeroplanes would just fly on a calm day, and not much more could be expected from them. Naturally thi*War Office was not so foolish as to adopt this new and undeveloped invention as the only reliable means of scout-ing. It proceeded with caution, giving the aeroplane reasonable encouragement, and waiting to see how itwould improve, and whether it would ultimately prove of actual tactical value. The crudity of the early machines,and their dependence upon calm weather, was ample justifi- cation for this cautious policy. Aeroplanes are not nowkept aground by high winds ; but there are still days on which flying is very inadvisable, and in misty weather theman in the aeroplane cannot see so much of the enemy as can be discovered by a scout on the ground—that is tosay, in open warfare. When there are continuous trench lines, then scouting must be done by aircraft if it is to be THE 'BRISFIT-: THE BRISTOL FIGHTER WAS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TYPES DURING THE WAR. IT WAS GIVEN TO NOS. 43, 45 AND 70 SQUADRONS IN 1917. BORN 1913 AND STILL GOING STRONG': THE AVRO 504, WHICH BEGAN ITS CAREER AS AN OFFENSIVE AIRCRAFT EARLY IN THE WAR, LATER BECAME THE STANDARD TRAINING MACHINE. AMONG ITS EXPLOITS WAS' THE BOMBING OF1THE ZEPPELIN SHEDS AT FRIED- RICHSHAFEN. (FLIGHT Photo.) done at all. The Navy is in a better position ; for if fogprevents the aircraft from seeing anything, it may still be possible to get some information by sending out destroyers.There can be no trench lines across the ocean. So, on the whole, the War Office was well advised to adopt a cautiouspolicy about the new means of scouting ; while the fact that the Army authorities did actually help on the move-ment and give it a chance to show what it could do proves that the War Office is not unreceptive to new ideas. The balloon section of the R.E. came into existence in1890, thanks to the good offices of Sir Evelyn Wood. On April 1, 1911, it was transformed into the Air Battalion,R.E. This was organised in two companies. No. 1 Com- pany was in charge of balloons and airships and No. 2Company dealt with aeroplanes. No. 2 Company later developed into No. 2 Squadron, R.F.C., while No. 1 Com-pany was, at the end of 1913, handed over to the Navy. This explains why No. 2 Squadron is the senior squadronof the Royal Air Force. No. 1 Squadron had to be formed at a later date, after the outbreak of war. Thefirst commandant of the Air Battalion was Major Sir THREE MARTINSYDE MACHINES ON THE LEFT. THE G.100 (160 BEARDMORE ENGINE). FAMILIARLY KNOWN AS " THE ELEPHANT." THE TYPE F.I (TOP) WAS THE FIRST OF THE F SERIES. AND WAS, THEREFORE. KNOWN AS " FATHER." IT WAS A TWO-SEATER, WITH 250 H.P. ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINE. THE F.3 WAS A SINGLE-SEATER FIGHTING SCOUT, AND WAS PRODUCED IN 1917. IT HAD A 190 H.P. ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINE. 587 F
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